


Brother

by MPantrochilles



Series: The Children of Heroes [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus and James are the Lily Potter Protection Squad, Fighting homophobia, James takes his role as big brother very seriously, Lily Luna is pretty damn cool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 20:24:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9920876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MPantrochilles/pseuds/MPantrochilles
Summary: James Sirius Potter is first and foremost a big brother. And he takes his job very seriously.





	

**_POTTER DISAPPOINTMENT?_ **

****

**_The Potters were spotted in Diagon Alley today, grabbing everything from textbooks to robes. I couldn't help but wonder if it's all a bit rushed? Every other child and parent has been seen collecting all they need for Hogwarts for weeks now, but the Potter's only just appeared, with only two days to go. Their first son, James Sirius, will be attending Hogwarts for the first time this September. I can't help but wonder if it's because of weak magic, perhaps. Maybe his letter was sent late. It would be a disappointment, with such powerful parents and such powerful namesakes, if he weren't great-_ **

 

Ginny snatched the newspaper from James with a frown. He blinked up at her, a matching frown forming on his face. Albus was watching the two of them, his colouring pencils in his hand, but not moving.

"Don't pay attention to that Skeeter's rubbish. It's not true. We just ran out of time in between holidays and trips to Gran's and Grandad's. You got your Hogwarts letter just as quickly as everyone else did. You know that." She held James' gaze, daring him, or rather his anxious subconscious, to challenge her. He knew his mum was right, and her words were a comfort. He nodded and Ginny binned the paper, walking over to her eldest to kiss his forehead. "You could never be a disappointment, Jamie."

 

That evening, he and Albus had elected to sleep in his room. They switched all the time. In the quiet, he faced his brother, who was looking at him sleepily.

"Hey Al?" He whispered. Albus was only inches from his face.

"Yeah?" He whispered back, gripping onto his teddy bear. James was practicing sleeping without his, before he went to Hogwarts. He didn't want the other kids to laugh at him.

"I don't know if I can do it."

"Do what?"

"Be great. Like mum and dad. Or the first James and Sirius."

"Oh. Well. I don't think you have to be great like them at all. Because you're great like you, Jamie, and that's the best thing." Albus told him thoughtfully, as if no other thoughts had occurred to him. James gave him a small smile. Albus grinned back, so you could see all the gaps in his teeth were the baby ones had fallen out and his adult teeth hadn't quite grown in yet. Both of his front teeth were missing, and it delighted Lily to no end when he blew air through them and a funny whistling sound came out.

"You're the best brother, Al."

"So are you."

They'd fallen asleep quickly after that. Two days later on the Hogwarts' express, when James was trying to decide whether or not he should enter the compartment full of other first years, or find safety and run to Teddy and his cousins, Albus' words ran through his mind. _You're great like you, and that's the best thing._ He knocked and asked if he could sit with the other first years, and he was met with smiles.

Seventeen year old James realised, as he looked at his little brother across the hall- who was wolfing down his breakfast next to his boyfriend, Scorpius- that Albus was the reason he'd met his best friends on the train all those years ago. He internally cringed with guilt. He hadn't been there for Albus like Albus had been there for him. He should have been the best brother, but he'd missed it. Four years of it. He had been apologising, little by little, taking down the wall between them brick by brick. Scorpius was good for Albus, James thought, because without him Albus would not have accepted James' apologies so quickly. He could hold a grudge like nobody else- it was one of his not so secret special talents. It had taken a few months (as opposed to a few years, and James would forever be thankful for that) and their relationship had gotten better. It wasn't like it was before Albus had come to Hogwarts, but it was good. Better, even. Albus must have felt eyes on him, because he looked around and almost immediately caught James' eye. He smiled and waved, and then scanned the rest of the Gryffindor table. By the time his gaze had settled on James again, he was frowning.

 _Where are Lily and Hugo?_ He signed, and James looked around for his little sister's mane of curly red hair. If there was something he and Albus had always agreed on, it was looking after Lily. He remembered the day she was born, and the pact they'd made like it was yesterday. They'd been staying at Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione's house while their dad was with their mum in hospital. His uncle and aunt had taken them, and Rose, of course, to the hospital. Hermione left with Rose to get food for everyone (Hermione herself was really very pregnant with some quite extreme cravings), while James and Albus watched their baby sister sleep in the cot next to their mum. Uncle Ron had put a hand on each of their backs and told them that it was most important that they looked after her always. They'd promised it, and their mum had smiled at them fondly. It was the same promise he'd made his dad when Albus was born, that he'd always look out for his little brother. He'd broken that promise already- and he swore it would be the only time he did.

Lily and Hugo were late to many things, but when there was food involved, they were never late. He frowned back at Albus and signed _let's go_.

Albus had abruptly gotten up and kissed Scorpius on the cheek, and James absent-mindedly waved goodbye to his friends. Rose wasn't at breakfast, she hardly ever was- she favoured the peace of the morning library and took from the kitchens directly instead. Albus and James converged at the entrance of the great hall.

"Do you have the map?"

James patted his pocket in response as he pushed open the door for him and Albus to head through. It turned out they didn't need the map to look for Lily and Hugo, because they could hear her from down the hallway. She sounded like she was trying very hard to speak, and was getting very frustrated. The harder she tried and the more frustrated she got, the more her attempted words sounded like unintelligible shouts. The two of them sprinted down the hall in the direction of her voice, their hands subconsciously reaching for their wands. They stopped in their tracks when they saw a Slytherin boy, probably fifth year, standing intimidatingly close to Lily, looking down on her tiny frame as she stood in front of Hugo who was trying to pick up all of his books. The fifth year had a friend behind him who was leaning against wall, aiming his wand at Hugo and muttering spells that made the bits of parchment he was trying to pick up blow further and further away from him.

"W-w-w-hats the mmmmmatt-t-t-er Pott-t-t-t-ter? Cat got your tongue?" The boy teased cruelly. His friend snorted. Lily was going red in the face, and her hands balled into fists by her side. James wondered why she didn't just use her wand, she was good at non-verbal magic, when he realised that the boy attempting to intimidate her was holding two wands.

"Arse hole," he heard Albus mutter darkly. "Oi! What the hell do you think you're doing?" He shouted at the boy, who hadn't noticed them up until now. James wanted to roll his eyes. He had to give Albus points for guts, but not strategy. The friend was staring at James, and had finally stopped tormenting Hugo. Maybe he had to reconsider the points.

"I'm surprised you could even call for help with that st-t-t-ammer," the Slytherin standing by Lily directed at her, but she was paying attention to her brothers. They knew she could fight her own fights, but she was glad for the distraction as the boy turned to them. Now that the bullies were focused on her brothers, she ran to Hugo and hauled him up. His robes were ruined at the knee and were slightly bloody. He must have been pushed over. James clenched his jaw, and Albus scowled. Lily was signing at Hugo and he nodded, pointing his wand at Lily's. Before the Slytherin even knew what was happening, Lily's wand had been accio'd into Hugo's hands, and was once more in her possession.

"What is your problem, Goyle?" Albus said hotly, taking Goyle's attention away from Lily, who was stood with her chin jutted out next to Hugo, her wand gripped tightly in her hands. Hugo was watching James, and he gestured for the two of them to walk over to him. Hugo tugged Lily's arm, and the two of them were soon stood slightly behind the eldest of the Potter children.

"Oh look, the Slytherin Sqib has come to protect his dumb sister," Goyle snickered, and his friend did the same, as if he didn't have a mind of his own. James tensed at the insult on both of his siblings, and stepped closer to Albus. Albus, in all honesty, looked bored. He rolled his eyes at Goyle.

"Not the most original insult, I've heard worse." James wanted to smirk at Goyle's scowl and Albus' comeback.

"Faggot." Ah, so the friend did speak. James glared at the other boy as Albus winced next to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lily bristling.

"I really don't think now is a good time to grow a brain cell and learn to talk, do you?" James spoke coolly, like Ginny did when she was daring someone to challenge her. The boy spluttered and pointed his wand at James. "Oh come now, there's no need for that," James rolled his eyes. "There's four against two-"

"I could easily beat you-"

"Have you ever come across an angry Potter? Well I suppose not or you wouldn't be trying to fight one, let alone three. Now keep moving before I tell your head of house that you were picking on third years who didn't do anything to you. I mean come on- trying to fight children? Kind of pathetic."

Goyle had aimed his wand at James, but before he even had a chance to say the incantation for whatever spell he was going to send James' way, he was hit by a bat bogey hex from Lily, who looked all too pleased with herself as his snot erupted from his nose and began clawing at his face with little bat hands. The friend got half way through shouting something, a threat perhaps, before James had aimed his wand at him and his spell hit him squarely in the chest. The boy doubled over and looked like he was about to be sick. A single slug emerged from his mouth, landing with a disturbing squelch on the hard stone floor. James had never been gladder for his dad's stories.

"If you're going to let disgusting things come out of your mouth, people may as well see it," he sniffed before turning on his heel and leading his siblings and cousin away.

"Jamie!" Lily squealed when they got around the corner.

 _Nice one_ , she signed. Hugo enthusiastically nodded in agreement. Albus was smirking, but his heart wasn't really into it. James raised an eyebrow at him, but he just shook his head. Albus and James walked Hugo and Lily back to the great hall for the last ten minutes of breakfast, so the two of them could get something before class. Hugo ran in to find the rest of the Weasley clan and tell them exactly what happened, but Lily stayed behind. She was looking at the floor and driving her toe into the ground, as she always did when she confessed something. James crouched down in front of her, so she was now taller than him, but only by a few inches. James, in contrast to Albus, had inherited the Weasley height. Albus was not by any means short, but James dwarfed everyone, standing at six foot five (and a half).

"What's up Lil?"

"Are you actually going to tell on them?" She was looking very intently at James. Albus' frown deepened with each carefully said word.

"Why wouldn't we? They shouldn't have been picking on you. You didn't do-"

"But I did!" Lily's outburst made James eyebrows rise up behind his fringe. He turned to Albus, who was wearing a similar expression.

"You started the fight?" James asked carefully. It hadn't even occurred to him that that was a possibility. He knew Lily was gutsy but she wasn't reckless.

"Well, no," she tried, though it seemed to be becoming more and more difficult to speak with each word.

"Just sign Lil, tell us what happened," Albus said, his arms folding over his chest. Lily's hands frantically began to move.

 _We were really late for breakfast this morning because Hugo overslept. They were walking along the corridor and Hugo and I were behind them and they were gossiping and I wasn't really paying attention because Hugo was telling me about thestrals  but then I heard Albus and Scorpius and he called you a -_ she stopped suddenly, blinking twice as she didn't know what the sign was. She spelt it out. _F-A-G_. James was glad she didn't know what the sign was. Albus tensed. Lily continued to sign.

 _So I ran up behind him and punched him- not hard enough, mind you, but enough to get his attention._ She turned to Albus. _I told him not to talk about my big brother like that. Or at least I tried. He took my wand and then you two turned up._

"You're not going to get into trouble for that," James said, his voice low. Albus was looking at his shoes. "Go find Hugo and get something to eat okay?" Lily nodded and James stood, almost losing his balance as she squeezed him and Albus in a tight hug. The brothers enveloped her in their arms.

"Love you," she mumbled into their robes.

"Love you too."

"Love you Lilu." 

Lily smiled up at Albus at her childhood nickname, and then she ran off into the great hall, leaving her brothers just outside. She hadn't been able to quite manage Lily Luna as an infant, and so referred to herself as Lilu. It stuck. 

"What's your next class?" James asked, trying to run through his own timetable in his head. He was having some difficulty remembering after the events of this morning- his head was reeling.

"Charms." Albus muttered.

"I'll walk with you- I have transfiguration."

"I don't need a body guard-"

"I know. I just want to walk with you."

Albus acquiesced, and the two of them headed off towards their lessons. Albus was slumped, looking more dejected than he had all year- apart from that week where he'd decided that he could get over Scorpius by not seeing him. That was a stupid idea on so many levels.

"I'm going to tell Slughorn," James broke the silence.

"James, c'mon, it's not that much of a big deal."

"Yes it is Al!" James exploded. Albus looked shocked, and James wasn't sure whether it was the use of his childhood nickname, which Albus had come to hate so much because of James, or because he'd yelled. The two of them were stood still in the middle of the corridor. The portraits gave them weird looks, but decided to ignore the 'drama' between the Potter boys. They had reduced to shouting matches in corridors a fair bit when they were younger. Only ever empty ones, though. James rubbed a hand over his face.

 "Sorry, I shouldn't have yelled." Albus merely shrugged. "They shouldn't get away with calling you names."

"They have for years, what's different this time?" Albus was narrowing his eyes at James. James couldn't really think of a reply, but his mouth moved of its own accord apparently.

"I'm here-"

"Oh so they should only insult me when you don't feel inclined to uphold your brotherly duties?"

"Al that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" Albus' tone was accusatory, and James noticed, a little belatedly, that his brother hadn't corrected him; hadn't told him to call him Albus instead of Al as he usually did.

"They shouldn't have ever gotten away with calling you names. And they shouldn't be allowed to still get away with it, especially if they're being homophobic arse holes. It's not fair on you or Scorpius." Albus' expression softened at the mention of his boyfriend. He bit his lip- James knew that he was thinking if anyone had said anything about Scorpius, Albus would have made sure they were in the hospital for a week.

"And I'm your big brother. It's my job to protect you," Albus opened his mouth to retaliate but James continued. "I fucked that up before so I've got to work twice as hard now to make it up to you."

"So you're being nice to clear your conscience?" Albus said as he folded his arms. He wasn't mad, there was a small smile daring to break through.

"Yes. Not because you're the best brother and I have to be the same to you. Definitely not."

"Of course not," Albus was smirking now. James let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"We good?"

"Yeah, Jamie, we're good." James grinned and pulled Albus along towards his classroom as they heard the faint sound of people heading toward them.

"Did you hear Marks is in the hospital wing because he won't stop throwing up slugs?" They heard, faint in the distance, and they couldn't help but laugh. James dropped Albus off, and the two of them bet how long it would take for their parents to be alerted. Albus bet twenty four hours. James bet two days.

Albus sat in his usual spot at the front with Scorpius, and waited for his boyfriend. Scorpius walked in, and immediately his eyes scanned over Albus to check if he'd been hurt. It was adorable, really.

"Is Lily okay?" He asked as he sat, quickly kissing Albus' cheek. Albus nodded and told him about the events of the morning. The two were hushed as the professor started the lesson.

 

Sometime later that day, when Albus and Scorpius were walking between Potions and Transfiguration, their path was blocked by a ring of people in the middle of the corridor.

"Oh no," was Albus' immediate response, and not two seconds later, he head the sickening crack of bones breaking and a thud as someone fell to the floor.

"Did you not learn your lesson this morning? Say anything about my brother and his boyfriend again and I will do worse than break your nose you hear me? Ignorant prick."

Albus rolled his eyes at James' dramatics, and Scorpius looked alarmed. The crowd parted when they realised who was behind them, to reveal Goyle on the floor, cradling his gushing nose- which was turning purple rather worryingly fast. James was standing near, and had his fist clenched at his side, the knuckles slightly red. Albus took one look at his face and knew he was in a lot more pain than he was letting on. How hard had he punched him?

"Really, James?" He sounded like his mum, exasperated.

"What is all this?" McGonagall's voice rang out, and it amazed Albus how fast students could run when they needed to, despite using the weight of their bags as an excuse for being late to class, saying they had to walk slowly. James, Albus, Scorpius and Goyle were left facing the headmistress.

"Why is it always you two?" She sighed at Albus and Scorpius. The two of them shrugged, their hands still joined between them.

"I've been asking myself the same question," Albus muttered, and McGonagall looked at him oddly before turning to James.

"Would you care to explain yourself, Mr Potter?"

"Would you like the long story or the short story? Both can be summed up as: he insulted my family twice today and I wasn't going to put up with it." McGonagall gave him a stern look. A Ravenclaw prefect passed by at that moment.

"Miss Chang, would you please escort Mr Goyle to the hospital wing?"

"Of course, professor." The prefect helped Goyle off the ground and headed off in the direction of the hospital wing. If she hadn't wanted to help, nobody would have known as her expression remained perfectly neutral. Scorpius watched her go, Goyle griping at her side. Just before they turned the corner, he was sure he heard her mutter a silencing spell. Goyle was quiet anyway.

"Mr Potter and Mr Potter, if you would like to follow me," she said curtly. Scorpius made to go with Albus, but the headmistress shook her head. "Mr Malfoy, head to your lesson and inform your Professor that Albus is talking with me and will be late."

McGonagall did not miss the reluctance on either boys face as Scorpius let go of Albus' hand. The two seemed to silently communicate something before the young Malfoy left. James was cradling his hand to his chest. The brothers followed her to her office in silence, and when they sat down opposite her, Albus was as far away from Dumbledore's portrait as possible.

"Let me fix your hand, Mr Potter, before we continue."

"Don't worry about it, Professor, I'll leave it and let the adoring student body swoon over my battle scars." He had the audacity to wink at her, and not for the first time in her life Minerva wondered how much power a name held, and whether it defined who you are, because James Sirius Potter was reminding her of his grandfather and _his_ friend an awful lot.

"So exactly what transpired in the corridor?" Albus looked wearily at James.

"This morning or two minutes ago, Professor?" James asked, and McGonagall resisted the urge to rub her temples. Albus was trying to get James' attention, but James was ignoring him.

"There was an incident this morning?" She asked, and Albus face-palmed.

"Yes. Goyle had taken Lily's wand. A sweet, innocent third year he'd picked on-"

"I would hardly label your sister innocent." Albus new she was talking about the incident in Lily's second year, when she'd realised she was really rather good at transfiguration, and had transfigured their family owl to look like some sort of weird hybrid creature and had let it fly around school, wreaking havoc.

"Semantics- anyway he'd taken her wand and was making fun of her stammer-" McGonagall frowned at that, "because she'd asked him to not call our brother a..." James trailed off and looked at Albus- he wasn't sure whether he should reveal the exact wording of the insult. Albus was so uncomfortable every time he heard the word, and James didn't want to make him uncomfortable.

"He called me, and I'm assuming by Lily's recount of the story, Scorpius, faggots," Albus said quietly, with a hesitant pause before the offending word, which he spat like poison. McGonagall pursed her lips. James picked up the story.

"Hugo had also been with Lily, and they'd pushed him to the ground, and were teasing him by making him crawl around on his hands and knees as he tried to pick up his books. Albus and I had noticed they weren't at breakfast so we'd gone looking for them and saw Goyle and Marks bullying them, so we stepped in. That was when he'd insulted Albus, and Lily hit him with her bat bogey hex, and I made Marks vomit slugs for calling Albus a- well. Same as what Goyle had said."

"And this afternoon?" The headmistress asked, her voice tight. She had a soft spot for Lily and Hugo, and though she wouldn't show it usually, it was evident now. She didn’t even blink at the mention of Lily’s hex.

"I passed Goyle in the hall, who was complaining to his friends about me 'attacking' Marks," James tried to do air quotes but winced as he bent the fingers of his bruising hand. "And then he had the audacity to insult my family further, and I warned him to stop but he didn't so I punched him."

"I understand your motive, Mr Potter, but violence is not the way-"

"I believe when Rose did a similar thing she got tea and biscuits-"

"Yes. In detention. You will be serving the same punishment. Mr Goyle and Mr Marks will have rather more serious punishments. We are a tolerant school, I will not ignore or condone such behaviour." The last part seemed directed at Albus, as reassurance, but she did not look at him. He nodded anyway, and turned to look at Dumbledore's and Snape's portraits. The other Albus was smiling at him, while Snape had his mouth set into a thin line. Albus shifted uncomfortably.

McGonagall dismissed them both, they said they're thank you’s and goodbyes, and the two of them did not speak to each other until they were at the bottom of the staircase. James was still holding his hand to his chest.

"You really should have let her fix your hand."

"I'll live."

"You're not Rose, or Aunt Hermione, you don't have Granger blood- why'd you try to punch him into the next century?"

"Alright no need to rub it in that I haven't got a brilliant right hook-"

"And you got yourself into detention-"

"Tea with Minnie McG is hardly detention."

"Don't let her hear you say that," Albus said, holding back a laugh.

"What the bit about not real detention? She knows that. Or the nickname because you know I really think we definitely are there in our relationship-"

"Oh Merlin stop talking!" Albus was actually laughing, and James grinned. He always felt a sense of accomplishment when he made people, especially grumpy people like Albus, laugh. His mum said that was the Weasley in him.

"Seriously though James," Albus said, quickly sobering. "You don't have to be my body guard. I can fend for myself."

"Yeah I know," he sighed. "But it makes me really mad when people are awful to you. You don't deserve it- you're really great." James wasn't sure when the last time they'd had so many serious conversations in one day was. That meant too far back.

"Really not that great," Albus muttered, and James knew he was thinking about the two ex-headmasters he was named after.

"You're great like you," James offered sincerely. He wasn't sure if Albus even remembered that conversation, he'd been half asleep at the time, but the way Albus gulped and looked up at James in surprise told him he did.

"I mean you're even probably greater than those two-" he was interrupted by a scoff from Albus but he ignored it. "You may not be the strongest wizard in the world, but you've got way more heart. And that's more important."

"Sap." Albus sniffed.

"Says the boy who literally does nothing but look at his boyfriend like a love sick fool all day-"

"Hey I do not!"

"Do not look at him like a love sick puppy or do not do that and only that all day long- you're going to have to be more specific-"  Albus shoved James, and James turned up the drama, waving his injured hand in front of Albus.

"Push me while I'm down, why don't you! You wound me, brother!"

"You're an arse, James," Albus declared with an eye roll. James pretended to stumble with the force of the insult, and Albus snorted.

"I may be an arse but I'm also your brother so you're the one that has to put up with me," James pointed out, as if he'd won the argument.

"I wonder if I can pay Lily to transfigure objects to look like me so-" Albus teased, pretending to stroke an imaginary beard.

"Hey!"

"Just joking," Albus assured James, and then he took a deep breath. "You're actually a really good brother, Jamie."

"You sound surprised-" James cut off his sarcastic reply when he saw Albus' unimpressed face. He grinned at his little brother instead. "Thanks Al." Albus simply nodded. "What? No 'it's Albus' reply?"

"Not for you. Al is good- for you."

James was sure his heart grew with Albus' smile.

 

The next morning at breakfast, James was greeted by their family owl with a red envelope. Everyone around him had paused, and Lily was grinning at him.

_You’re in trouble now, Jamie._

Albus was smirking at him from across the hall. _I win_. _You owe me five galleons._ They had most definitely not agreed five galleons.  

 James gulped, and opened the letter. He flinched at the loudness of his mum’s voice.

 “JAMES SIRIUS POTTER IF I EVER HEAR THAT YOU GOT A DETENTION FOR SOMETHING AS STUPID AS PUNCHING SOMEONE AGAIN GODRIC HELP ME I WILL TURN UP TO SCHOOL AND DEAL WITH YOU MYSELF-”  
He sighed, letting the laughter from other students wash over him. It was quite funny.  
“-IF YOU’RE GOING TO GET INTO TROUBLE YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST HEXED THE BOY FOR BEING MEAN TO YOUR SIBLINGS! LILY HAD THE RIGHT IDEA!”  
James was sure that McGonagall was imagining hitting her head against the table. Of course, she was too poised to actually show her exasperation, beyond a small sigh. Lily was cackling maniacally.  
“-Oh and Albus, dear, give my love to Scorpius- I’ve sent some Pepper Imps his way.” And with that, the letter combusted. Albus was grinning, and Scorpius flushed at the mention of his name. James relaxed back into his seat, continuing eating as if nothing had happened.

_It was worth it._

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it!


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